Hansard

The Convener Lab

Our second item of business is consideration of PE1463, on effective thyroid and adrenal testing, diagnosis and treatment. We will take evidence from the Min...

The Minister for Public Health (Maureen Watt) SNP

Good morning and thank you for inviting me to give evidence. At the outset, I make it clear that I have not only an on-going interest in the petition as Mini...

The Convener Lab

Thank you—that was a comprehensive overview of the situation from your perspective. As you said, the petition has been running for a substantial time. Commit...

David Torrance (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) SNP

The Thyroid UK survey report shows that 42 per cent of respondents considered that their clinician was not open to discussion about treatment options and tha...

Maureen Watt SNP

As I said, the survey was UK wide, so we cannot extrapolate the Scottish situation from it. It did not involve a randomised sample, as one would normally exp...

Professor Graham Leese (NHS Tayside and Chief Medical Officer Specialty Adviser)

I am not directly involved with that, but we have been involved with the British Thyroid Association. As the minister mentioned, the British Thyroid Foundati...

The Convener Lab

Elaine Smith has a question—is it a supplementary on this specific point?

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab) Lab

My question is relevant to the point. I might have asked it later, but it is perhaps better if I ask it now, if you do not mind.

The Convener Lab

We will take your question now, then I will come back to David Torrance.

Elaine Smith Lab

The petitioner has told me that the British Thyroid Foundation changed its advice online as recently as this week. My question is directly for Professor Lees...

Professor Leese

I cannot comment on the British Thyroid Foundation document that you refer to, as I am not sure that I have seen it. However, it probably refers to the Briti...

Elaine Smith Lab

Will you also comment on the range? The committee has been looking into it. It is different in different countries. We have heard evidence that, far too ofte...

Professor Leese

The evidence suggests that patients who are on thyroxine are treated very much at an individual level. The guidelines, and most GPs, try to adapt the levels ...

Maureen Watt SNP

I say, perhaps for people who are not so involved in the issue, that anybody who is on levothyroxine gets tested. They get a thyroid-stimulating hormone—TSH—...

Professor Leese

It is worth noting that there is a wide range of what is deemed to be acceptable TSH, so there is scope for moving doses, perhaps to small amounts, to mainta...

David Torrance SNP

The minister said that new guidelines for GPs would be published later in the year. Will you expand a bit on what is in the guidelines and how quickly SIGN w...

Professor Leese

There needs to be increased general awareness of the guidelines. That comes down to educating GPs and advertising the guidelines. Each year, every GP must do...

Maureen Watt SNP

The condition is something that most GPs will come across in their practice. Just as Diabetes UK’s website includes information on tests for people with dia...

Hanzala Malik (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

I accept what the minister said about the figures in the survey report being UK based, which means that the true picture in Scotland is not clear. Perhaps sh...

Professor Leese

The guidelines, which have been available since May, are not a one-off. As with any advertising campaign, it comes down to continuing to promote them—to incr...

Hanzala Malik Lab

You are stepping around the issue and you are still not giving me a clear guide on how you are focusing on it. How will we assess the success of the advertis...

Maureen Watt SNP

There are already SIGN guidelines for GPs. We are talking about whether there will perhaps be revised SIGN guidelines. One of the petitioners has been invol...

The Convener Lab

I ask for order in the public gallery, please. I ask the minister to stop for a moment while the matter is dealt with. Interruption. I am sorry for the distu...

Maureen Watt SNP

As I said, my understanding is that the petitioner was involved in discussions about SIGN guidelines—I do not know whether anyone else wants to come in on th...

Hanzala Malik Lab

I accept what you say and I am sure that you will try to ensure that the guidelines are fit for purpose, but I have been pressing you on the matter—I will st...

Maureen Watt SNP

As I said in my opening statement, the timing is not up to the Scottish Government. It is up to the SIGN council—we cannot really determine its timeframe.

Professor Leese

The guidelines are being distributed at the moment. You talked about measuring their success, Mr Malik, and I would welcome your thoughts as to how we do that.

Hanzala Malik Lab

Shall I respond to that, convener?

The Convener Lab

If you are being asked a question, you can respond if you have an answer.

Hanzala Malik Lab

I am happy to do that in a bid to help. I have already indicated that we do not have Scottish figures.